Novell GroupWise to Google Apps Migration

Moving from GroupWise to Google Apps, a cost-effective solution.

Functional Area

Mail and Productivity

Client

Real Estate Broker. Our client offers real estate brokerage services across multiple states in the US.

Challenge: Migrate from GroupWise

With staff in 11 states making use of Novell Groupwise tool, our client was facing challenges in managing rising maintenance, hardware and software costs. There was also an increasing desire to migrate to Google Apps, a flexible, more modern email and messaging system that supported mobility across iPhones, Android and other employee owned devices.

Approach

After an initial pilot with a small group of IT administrators and power users, White Stratus could migrate all employees to Google Apps in a one-time Big Bang go-live. Prior to go-live, significant investment was made in change management initiatives with over 73% of users attending training via on-site sessions and remote live / recorded Webinars. A Google Apps Sandbox approach was also used to familiarize users.

Results

The Google Apps migration was completed 2 weeks ahead of schedule, with 93% of staff saying the new system was a 'significant improvement' over the incumbent. Average costs per user have dropped by around 60% and the project is forecast to break even in month 2. See our Case Study Deep Dive for more information on how to efficiently migrate to Google Apps.